Continuing WOTUS Woes

Frustration abounds among farmers and ranchers and other private property owners concerning EPA's continued march forward on their Waters of the US rule or WOTUS.

Right before the start date of implementation two weeks ago, a federal judge granted an injunction for 13 states to delay in the WOTUS implementation. Questions abound whether that meant that the WOTUS would halt all for all the nation or just the 13. EPA said nope — they would continue ahead in the other 37 states. The North Dakota federal judge clarified that the injunction he granted over WOTUS applies only to the 13 states named in the lawsuit.

National Cattlemen's Beef Association President Phillip Ellis calls the rule unnecessary and an overreach by the EPA.

Ellis: "Well we are taking care of the water and frankly in these memos that have come out from the US Army of Corps — which have responsibility in these rules too — they've backed away from this rule making. They have question the need for it, question the legal jurisdiction. That is what the courts will have to decide. The science isn't there.              

He calls the rule a land grab by a "big brother type government." NCBA is part of a separate lawsuit against the rule filed in a U.S. District Court in Texas earlier this summer. NCBA is also working with Congress in an attempt to block the rule.